CHRISTENDOM has been self-correcting in many instances over the years.
It is worthy celebrating the ground covered by many preachers, especially in the charismatic church who retaught yesteryear inaccurate interpretation of Scripture.
Many are going back to the true intent and spirit of Scripture. The truth is spreading.
In trying to be aggressive and forceful, many misinterpreted the verses we are going to look at today.
They took matters into their own hands, thus keeping God away.
The finished/accomplished work of Christ found no ground. Many hit brickwalls and bitterness found root. Prayers for the death of human enemies were justified.
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Jesus procured victory for us. The devil was defeated once and for all. We are not trying to redo what Jesus ably did.
Being born again is salvation and deliverance and we are not seeking deliverance from elsewhere.
We are seeking more knowledge and grow spiritually and experience what is already ours. Victory belongs to us believers.
We read Ephesians 6:11: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
In trying to be militant and vigilant, action was placed in the hands of believers.
It says whole armour of God. It is not just whole armour or our armour, but the whole armour of God.
If we remove God, we will go to war, which war was fought and won by Jesus Christ.
In Bible language, just as it is in law, it is called double jeopardy. Believers should not pay for offences that were fully paid for by the sufferings of Christ.
We should enjoy the glory or simply put, the manifestation of the fulfilled promises.
They say knowledge is power. God says in Hosea 4:6a: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:”
The Bible says to stand against the wiles of the devil. Wile means a trick or stratagem intended to ensnare or deceive. It comes from Greek word, meaning method.
The Bible does not say the power of the devil. Satan was defeated hands down.
He tries to outwit believers by deceit or lies and regrettably, many times he wins.
Since the devil has no power, he tricks us to use our power and confess things like, “I am sick and dying” or “I am poor and good for nothing”.
We have the creative power and can cause things to happen by the word of mouth.
So however tight we are pressed to the corner, we should not speak the devil’s language.
We are asked to be careful in Colossians 2:8, Amplified Bible: “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception [pseudo-intellectual babble], according to the tradition [and musings] of mere men, following the elementary principles of this world, rather than following [the truth — the teachings of] Christ.”
There is a demonic strategy using this fallen world system to keep believers bound. We are the victors and may end up fighting for victory. As believers we should stand in victory.
Satan will not tell believers that he is a defeated liar otherwise his whole mission will end before judgement day. We need to be smart.
Colossians 2:11, Message Bible, tells us: “He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets.”
The victory and power belong to Jesus and His church.
We are not going to any war. If anything, we are fighting to get more knowledge of the rightly divided Word of Truth. We stand on the Word of God.
Notice how the word stand is emphatically repeated in Ephesians 6:13-14, “[13] Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. [14] Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;” There is no list of tactics of war.
If we try to fight, we will be denying the finished or accomplished work of Christ and He won’t be with us in any supposed war.
We resist the devil. James 4:7 directs: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Standing on the Word of God or agreeing with the rightly divided Word of Truth is the spiritual warfare.
Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.
Amen. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge.
- All Bible quotations are from the King James Version unless otherwise stated.
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